Many years ago as a young woman, I read a number of books written by C.S. Lewis and loved them all especially loved his book Surprised By Joy. I'll suggest to myself that I read it once again because I have forgotten so much of what it was about. From my vague memory I think I do recall it was the story of how C.S. Lewis came to his faith and by way of joy, how he was surprised. He went from being an atheist, to a theist to finally a Christian.
I think this is what happens to many of us in our spiritual quest and journey. We are surprised how our faith works through joy. The package it comes in, doesn't matter, but what does matter is the joy it brings in knowing that the Creator loves us in ways that we can't or don't love ourselves, until we can come to this realization and art of loving.
Yesterday I heard an item about goodness and joy and how directly the two are related. Practicing goodness leads to joy, which leads to more goodness and increased joy.
"an unsatisfied desire which is itself more desirable than any other satisfaction. I call it Joy, which is here a technical term and must be sharply distinguished both from Happiness and Pleasure. Joy (in my sense) has indeed one characteristic, and one only, in common with them; the fact that anyone who has experienced it will want it again... I doubt whether anyone who has tasted it would ever, if both were in his power, exchange it for all the pleasures in the world. But then Joy is never in our power and Pleasure often is.”
― C.S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life
“All Joy reminds. It is never a possession, always a desire for something longer ago or further away or still 'about to be'.”
― C.S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life
I've never been one who makes New Year's resolutions. I simply want to become a better human being who practices goodness, and celebrates the joy of living.
Comments
Post a Comment